Back-to-form Stuart Broad's six for 51 put England on course to push for victory, weather permitting, over New Zealand after day three of the second Test at the Basin Reserve.
Brendon McCullum (69) threatened to delay England significantly in this middle match of three, with a forecast for increasingly heavy rain a major complication for the remainder of the contest.
But Broad led an admirable performance from the tourists' pace attack to bowl the Kiwis out for a teatime 254 in reply to 465 all out.
Then after enforcing the follow-on, in 33 more overs England had to settle for just Hamish Rutherford's wicket as Peter Fulton and Kane Williamson guided the hosts to 77 for one at stumps.
Broad, wicketless before succumbing to injury during a historic series victory in India before Christmas, trebled his winter Test tally here.
He was in no way flattered either by his figures after a fine display of swing and seam bowling on a pitch still offering him and others minimal assistance.
Given the predicted advance of Cyclone Sandra tomorrow, England had no sensible option but to enforce the follow-on.
But it was no surprise that they then found progress slow through the evening session, with conditions still very much in the batsmen's favour and a hard-worked attack in which Anderson was soon showing distress signals.
A moment of brilliance from Ian Bell at leg slip, immediately after being positioned there by Alastair Cook, brought a one-handed diving catch to see the back of Rutherford in Panesar's first over.
England's only other opportunity was another half-chance given by Williamson on one, which Prior could not take at full length down the leg side off Finn.
